Air-compressor.



No. 728,149. PATENTED MAY 12, 1903. J. C. WILLIAMS.

AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, 1902.

no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

witnesses exam,

ms: NORRIS PEYERS co. PNDTO-LIYHQ, WASHINGIGN. n. c.

' awueulroz No. 728,149 PATENTBDMAY 12, 1903.

J. c. WILLIAMS. AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLIOATIOH FILED MAR. 12, 1902.

F0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented May 12, 1963.

PATENT OFFICE.-

AIR-COMPRESSOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,149, dated May 12, 1903.

Application filed March 12, 1902 Serial No. 97,929. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and-State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Air-Compressors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an air-compressor; and the aim and purpose of the same are to provide a simple and effective compressing apparatus adapted to be manually operated, whereby air may be compressed in an expeditious and positive manner through the medium of a minimum amount of applied power.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which willbe more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vsectional elevation of an air-compressor embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken in the plane of the line 3 3, Fig.

1. Fig. 4 is a detail transverse section, on an enlarged scale, of one of the compressingtubes and the tubular plunger cooperating therewith. Fig. 5 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, showing the knife-edge fulcrum or the fulcrum-arm.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a cylinder of any capacity and adapted to be supplied with means for conveying the compressed air therefrom to a distance for use for various purposes. held in stable position by a suitable frame or base structure, and at a point centrally thereof uprights 2 rise from opposite sides and reduce toward their upper ends, where they are connected by a transversely-extending V-shaped fulcrum-bar 3 to provide an upper reduced or knife edge 4. A fulcrum-pin or trunnion-rod 5 is movably mounted in bearings 6, held on the bar 3 at the center of the latter, and has an under concave recess 7 extending the full length thereof and in continu- The cylinder will be supported or ous engagement with the edge 4 of said bar 3. The pin or rod 5 is secured to or forms apart of a fulcrumarm 8, having terminal incurved extremities and formedwith'agroove 9, in which a projectingcable 10 ismounted, the extremities of the said cable projecting below the terminals of the arm 8 any suitable distance. Thecable 10 may bereplaced by any analogous device, such as a chain, and is free to move over the arm 8.

Rising from the cylinder 1 -at equal distances from the plaueof the uprights 2 and in longitudinal alinement are a series of angle-guides 11, four of said guides being disposed in operative relation in each series. Mounted in each series of the angle-guides to have nnretarded vertical reciprocation is a weight 12, and to the centers of the upper ends of the said weight the terminals of the cable 1Q are secured. The uprights 2 below the bar 3 arealso connected by a transverse rock-shaft 13, and thereon is appliedarocklever l i of arcuate form and having the terminals l5 downturned and movably attached by links 16 to the upper ends of the weights 12. Also secured to the rock-shaft are os- 'cillating levers 17 in the form of inverted arcuate castings or other metallic formations and having upwardly-extending centrally-attaching arms 18, secured by' curved braces 19 to the main body of the levers 17, the latter being extended outwardly in opposite directions beyond the plane of the angleguides 11 for convenience in engagement by an operator. The ends of the levers are connected by handbars 20, and it is obvious that in the operation of the shaft 13 an operator can grasp each hand-bar and actuate the said shaft by an alternate swinging movement of the levers and a consequent alternate rise and fall of the opposite weights through the medium of the rock-arm 14, which is secured to said rock-shaft. The levers 17 are applied to the rock-shaft on opposite sides of the series of angle-guides 11, and in view of the eX- tension or increased length of the levers 17 in arcuate planes their amplitude of movement is considerable.

Inside the plane of each series of angleguides 11 are a plurality of compressing-tubes 21, which have theirlower terminals extending through the upper portion of the cylinder 1 and supplied with downwardly-opening spring-closed valves 23. At the points where the tubes 22 pass through the cylinder 1 seats 24 are formed with apertures 25 therethrough, and directly under these seats the valves 23 are located. Within the compressing-tubes 22 a series of tubular plungers 26 have operation and have lower heads 27 closely fitting against the inner sides of the said tubes. The plungers normally project above the upper ends of the tubes 22, the latter fitting closely against said plungers and the upper ends of the tubes having air-entrance openings 28. The heads 27 of the plungers are also supplied with downwardly-opening springclosed valves 29, and it will be understood that at points where desired suitable packing material will be introduced to insure the formation of air-tight joints between the plungers and the tubes. The tubes 26 are normally held elevated and projected equally above the compressing tubes 22 by coilsprings 30 in the latter and terminally bearing respectively on the seats 24 and against the heads 27.

The operation of the device is as follows: One or more operators can grasp the handbars 20 of the levers 17 and impart an oscillating movement to the united levers, and consequently actuate the rock-shaft 13, which in turn similarly operates the rock-arm 14 so as to alternately elevate and depress the opposite ends of the latter. This alternate elevation and depression of the opposite ends of the rock-arm similarly actuates the weights 12, and as the latter are forced downwardly they press upon the upper ends of the tubular plungers 26 and force the same downwardly into the compressing-tubes 22, and thereby drive the air in the said com pressingtubes through the valves 23, which will be opened by the downward movement of the plungers into the cylinder 1. All the plungers are simultaneously depressed, and multiple charges of air are thus driven into the cylinder. As the operation becomes successive the cylinder 1 will become rapidly filled and the air therein compressed under considerable tension or stress, particularly in view of the independent sets of the compressingtubes, with which the individual weights and series of tubular plungers cooperate. Each weight is caused to rise directly with the corresponding upward movement of the link 16 attached thereto in advance of the upward movement of the plungers 26, which are independent of the said weights, the plungers being forced upwardly by the springs 30, and atwhich time the air flows into the plungers, and though the interval between the rise of the plungers and the weights is reduced to a minimum and is controllable by the tension of the springs 30 such interval will be suficient to permit the surrounding air to inflow into the plungers and be forced into the compressing-tubes during the descent of the plungers and weight. In some instances it may be desired to provide intakes for the compressing-tubes; but as this is an obvious expedient in air-compressors it has not been shown in the drawings. The fulcrum-arm 8 provides means for effectively suspending the weights andmoves in consonance with said weights, and through the medium of the reduced or knife edge 4 frictional obstruction to the operation of the arm 8 is also materially reduced, and, in fact, friction is almost entirely absent. By the use of the arm 8 the weights are removed from direct support by the rock-arm 14, and as the said weights counterbalance each other in their operation the wear and tear on the rock-arm, as well as the remaining operating devices, is reduced to a minimum, and, as before stated, the actuating power is similarly reduced.

It is proposed to employ the improvedcompressing mechanism for compressing air at a materially less expense than is usually the case where motive power, such as steam, is used, and to arrive at a practical compressing operation through the medium of manual power. The air-compressor is particularly adapted for use at such planes of elevation where it is impracticable to obtain fuel or operate a steam or other motive mechanism, and to suit different conditions it is proposed to change the form, proportions, size, dimen sions,and minor details without departing from the principle of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. An air-compressor comprising a st0ragecylinder, a plurality of air-compressing tubes connected to the cylinder, plungers cooperating with and movable through the upper ends of said compressing-tubes, said plungers having upper open ends, counterbalancing-weights operating in connection with the plungers and contacting with the upper open ends of the latter, and operating mechanism attached to the said weights.

2. In an air-compressor, the combination of a storage-cylinder,a plurality of air-compressing tubes communicating with said cylinder and arranged in opposite independentseries, plungers cooperating with and movable through the upper ends of said compressingtubes, couuterbalancing-weights located directly over and adapted to engage the upper open ends of the plungers for forcing thelatter into the compressing-tubes, manually-operated means for actuating the weights, and suspending means for the said weights.

3. In an air-compressor, the combination of a storage-cylinder, a plurality of compressing-tubes communicating with said cylinder and arranged in independent series, tubular operating with the weights to clear the latter plungers operating in and movable through from the plungers. 1o

the upper ends of said compressing-cylinders In testimony whereof I affix my signature and adapted to be automatically returned to in presence of two witnesses.

normal position, independent suspending- JOHN C. WILLIAMS. weights to engage the upper ends of the plun- Witnesses: gers and force them into the compressing- E. A. PAUL,

tubes, and manually-operated mechanism co- CHAS. S. HYER. 

